Malagos Peppato

TASTING NOTES OF THE CURATOR

Made of fresh cow’s milk, the Malagos Pepato is a hard cheese with a subtle spicy aroma. Collected daily from the Malagos dairy, this Davao delight is creamy and citrusy, with slightly salty, tangy notes.

Medium-sized with a fairly soft curd, Malagos Pepato is noticeable by the green peppercorns interspersed within the cheese, giving contrast to the flavor and adding a welcome kick.

PREPARATIONS AND PAIRINGS

Like most hard cheeses, this one from Davao goes with a variety of wines. Try it with a good red like this Tedeschi Corasco.

You can shave the Malagos Pepato over your salads to give it an extra layer of flavor. This fresh cow milk cheese will also go great in your sandwiches. The bite that the green peppercorns lend will heighten any plain sandwich.

ITALIAN IDEAS

The Pepato, sometimes called Pecorino Pepato, is a semi-hard cheese typically made of sheep’s milk, and dotted with peppercorns.

Finding its origins in Sicily, Italy, this cheese is usually aged for two to four months, but you can find milder versions (10 days), being sold, too. The peppercorns, which give it its distinct taste, are usually added during the subtraction of whey.

Storage Instructions

Cheeses (except brined ones in jars) should be stored in the crisper or the butter drawer of a refrigerator, not on the shelves themselves. This is to help regulate their temperature and humidity levels—and prevents the formation of mold. Once opened, they should not be kept in their original packaging. Semi-hard cheeses (including blues) should ideally be wrapped in cheese paper after opening. An alternative is to wrap them tightly in parchment paper to allow them to breathe, then loosely in aluminum foil to keep moisture out. Don’t forget to write up a label with the date you first opened the package. Replace the parchment paper every time you open the cheese. Kindly pay attention to the best before date label when you receive your cheese. Consume prior to date indicated.